The legend leaves his legacy behind, retiring undefeated. Ladies and gentlemen, your ONE Welterweight World Champion. #Singapore #MartialArts pic.twitter.com/VIOch9hnsn
— ONE Championship (@ONEChampionship) November 24, 2017
An undefeated champion Askren (18-0), choosing to hang up his gloves is a rarity in combat sports. However, he never got a chance to display his skills inside the UFC’s Octagon despite the fact that Askren is completely content with how his career has played out.
Askren said he met with the UFC as a free agent back in 2013 but couldn’t settle a deal with the promotions. If Askren truly wants to prove to constant critics that he’s the best welterweight of all time, Georges St-Pierre seems like one of the only opponents that is big enough for Askren to come out of retirement for the last time.
@GeorgesStPierre how’s the spring weather in Montreal? I hear it’s a nice time to test your true Martial Arts skills
— Funky (@Benaskren) November 25, 2017
Retirement never lasts long in MMA. https://t.co/F6m7XUoB08
— Guilherme Cruz (@guicruzzz) November 25, 2017
Mine had an * the entire time, only 1 way I fight again. https://t.co/30OKSKw72d
— Funky (@Benaskren) November 25, 2017
There is no news yet who Georges St-Pierre will fight next. Askren has been vocal about never fighting UFC welterweight champ Tyron Woodley and his friend in the past. In working with welterweights such as Jake Shields, Tyron Woodley, Jon Fitch and Nick Diaz in the gym, he’s very comfortable in his greatness with how he stacked up. At the moment its just a wink of a tweet from Askren, for his future comeback.
Ben Askren speaking to ESPN:
“I’m calculated. This has been in my head for 20 years. I read all these sports biographies as a kid, and the one thing that became apparent is that everybody stays too long, and everybody goes broke. So, I told myself I would never stay too long and I would never go broke. I think [ONE will] actively look for [an opponent that would entice me back]. I’m one of their biggest stars, and that would be a huge fight for them. The MMA landscape is changing, right? ONE is doing great. The UFC, by my estimation, is a ship without a rudder right now. Bellator’s welterweight division is really good. The game is changing. If that opportunity were to come up, I’d immediately take it. I’ve asked them to go after free agents in the past. But in all honesty, I think this fight will be it.”
